Planet first 2000
easy & positive ways
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Warning Symptoms
* In 1900 the world's population was 1.6 Billion people
In 1960 it was 3. Billion
In 2000 it reached over 6. Billion
* If 6 Billion people were to live at European standards ( not American ) it would require a six-fold increase in steel production alone. The pollution would choke the planet.
* We now have more arable land being withdrawn from food production (because of erosion and salinisation) than is being added.
* The World Conservation Monitoring Centre reports: Since 1970 a third of the natural world has been destroyed by human activity.
- The health of freshwater ecosystems almost everywhere is in decline.
- The annual loss of the world's forest cover is equivalent to an area the size of
Norway.
- Coral reefs are home to more than a quarter of marine fish species, yet nearly 60% are threatened.
- 90% of mountain forests have been lost from the Andes.
- Global carbon dioxide emissions have doubled in 20 years.
* In India the World Bank reports that family planning practises have failed. The population has reached 1 Billion and getting to 1.5 Billion by 2050, will pull ahead of China as the world's most populous nation. In-built momentum means it cannot stabilise its population for at least 40 years (some say 100 years).
* India has an infant mortality rate of 75 per 1000, worse than China's, Egypt's and Indonesia. Infant malnutrition is worse than in sub-Saharan Africa . Only 52% of the Indian population is literate compared with the world rate of 76%.
* Vast increases in air pollution ( particularly the so-called greenhouse gases) coupled with warmer temperatures have resulted in acid rains that in turn contribute to tree and plant loss and ruination of food crops. The increased airborne pollutants have contributed to holes in the ozone layer permitting dangerous levels of radiation to penetrate the earth's surface. Higher incidents of skin cancer is one of the results.
* Green house gases from increased populations (of humans and food herding animals) and unclean industrial practises, cause global warming. This melts the planet's polar ice caps and has now been identified with severe and worsening world weather conditions. Increases in the number of very severe storms, hurricanes, cyclones and tornados is evident and are predicted to increase in number and ferocity.
* A follow-on from the changing weather patterns is the landslides, mudslides, flooding, once fertile areas becoming deserts and unpredictability of weather increasing the chances of crop failures.
* In the United States of America with 250 Million people and profligate use of resources, the United States can be seen as the world's most over-populated nation. Australia given its limited arable land is in the same boat - too many people using too many resources.
* The average American (and probably the same is true for the average Australian) inflicts 70 times as much environmental damage on the environment as a Laotian or as do Indigenous Australian Aboriginal populations living outside urban areas.
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Planet first 2000 promotes environmental awareness and appropriate action however, please note that listing any linked sites is for directory purposes only and does not, in any way, imply endorsement of any of the sites, their views or policies or the accuracy of the information that they contain. We have no control over the content of these sights listed. The lists of sites are regularly updated but are by no means exhaustive.
Last updated October 7, 2000